Piano-player.



No. 705,000. Patented July l5, I902.

A. vE. WHITEHEAD.

PIANO PLAYER.

-(Applica.tion filed May 18, 1901.)

' (No Model.)

THE Noam FEYERS co. Pumaumou wasmns'rou. n. c.

'No'. 705,000. 7 Patented Jul l5, I902.

0 A. E. WHITEHEAB;

PIANO PLAYER.

(Application filed my 18, 1901.)

(No lode l.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

RS cu, puorau'mo WASHINGTON n c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIcE.

AURA E. WHITEHEAD, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO FARRAND & VOTEYORGAN COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

PIANO-PLAYER. i

$PECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 705,000, dated July 15, 1902.

' Application filed May 18, 1901. Serial No. 60,922. (No model.)

To (ti/Z whom it may concern: B is the top section of the case, which isBe it known that I, AURA ENVHITEHEAD, a above the action 0. The action Ihave simply citizen of the United States, residing at Deindicated as arectangular box, in which the troit, in the county of Wayne and State ofvalves and pneumatics are located,being com- 5 Michigan,have inventedcertain new and usebined and arranged in any desired manner. 55 fulImprovements in Piano-Players, of which The top of the action forms asubstantially the following is a specification, reference behorizontalpartition across the case, extending had therein to theaccompanyingdrawing nearly from side to side thereof, all as ings. plainly shown inFig. 1. The action is so- IO The nvention consists in the constructioncured to the case in any desired manner. 60 of a piano-player, andpart-icularlyin the con- At each end of the case and at the rear sidestruction and arrangement of the parts in the are secured brackets D, inwhich are pivoted upper part of the case, whereby the constructhebrackets D, to which is secured the fultion is cheapened and simplifiedand wherecrum-loarrE. These brackets are so combined by, further, thetracker-board and motor are with the case that the fulcrum-bar may be 65so disposed that a folding-in or movable fulturned so as to project theplaying-fingers F, crum-bar may be employed which may be which arepivoted on the fulcrum-bar, outmoved into a stored position or projectedoutside the case, as shown in Fig. 2, or may be side the case; further,in the construction turned with the fingers inside the casing, as

of the case whereby the aperture through shown in Fig. 1. To permit ofthis turning 70 which the fulcrum-bar and playing-fingers are in or outof the case, I provide in the rear of projected may be practicallyclosed in the opthe case the two doors G and G, having their cratingposition and entirely closed in the dividing-line directly above thefulcrum-bar. stored position of the fulcrum-bar; further, The lower doorG is of such height as to perin the construction of the fulcrum-baritself mit of the projection through the casing of 75 and the manner ofattaching the fulcrumthe fulcrum-bar and the playing-fingers in blocksthereto, and, further, in the construcoperating position, while the doorG is nection of the playing-fingers and in the con essarily opened. inprojecting these parts outstruction, arrangement, and combination ofside the case, but as soon as they are outthe various parts, as morefully hereinafter side maybe turned down, with its lower edge 80described. directly above the fulcrum-bar, so as to close In thedrawingsjigure lisasection through from View the inside of the case,with its unthecasing,showingthefulcrum-bar and playfinished operatingparts. In this way the ing-fingers in elevation in their verticalposionly operating parts that are exposed are the tion within the case,the tracker-range and fingers and possibly part of the fulcrum-bar 85trunk for the motor being shown in vertical with the particularconstruction of the case central section. Fig. 2 is a similar sectionherein shown. When the case is closed up, through the right-hand part ofFig. 1, showas shown in Fig. 4, it has a finished exterior ing theplaying lingers extended as in oper appearance, as shown.

ating position. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sec- II is a front hinged doorwhich forms the 90 tion on line (I; 00 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4C is a perfrontof the tracker-board box I, in which are spective view of the upper partof the casing the tracker-board Iand the rolls for the innclosed. Fig. 5is a perspective view of a part sic-sheet. This tracker-board box islocated of the fulcrum-bar. Fig. 6 is a section theresubstantiallymidway the length of the case through, showing one of theplaying-fingers and at oneside of the middle line, as plainly 5 partlyin section. Fig. '7 is a horizontal secshown in Fig. 1. This gives ampleroom betion through Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is a vertical lonside thetracker-board box above the actiongitudinalsectionthroughtheregulating-valve in which the fulcrum-bar andthe playingat the right hand of Fig. 3. fingers may be turned or movedinside of the A represents the case of a piano-player. casing. m

The pneumatic-motor J is arranged at one end of the tracker-board boxand likewise at one side of the centerlongitudinai line of the action.This pneumatic-motor is for driving the in usic-sheet and is of theusual construction, comprising a series of pneumatics connected to acrank-shaft for imparting motion thereto.

At one end of the machine, within the easing and leading up from the endof the action, is a wind-trunk K, which connects into a horizontalwind-trunk K, which extends longitudinally of the action just in rear ofthe tracker-board box, as plainly shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The wind-trunkK connects into the regulating-bellows L through the port a, and theport I) connects from this bellows into the wind-trunk K".

cis a light spring secured at one side of the port a and extending withits free end over the same, the free end being contacted by anadjustable contact (I, secured to the movable port 6 of the bellows L,all so arranged that as the air is exhausted from the bellows L more orless it will proportionately close the port a, and consequently maintaina substantially uniform pressure in the trunk K regardless of variationin pressure in the trunk K due to the movement of the pedals by theoperator.

M is a tension-spring for the bellows L.

Secured to the under side of the bellows L is a valve-casing N. Leadingfrom the trunk K to the box N is a port 7t, and from the box N to thetrunk K is a port i.

O is a valve adapted to close the passageway through the valve-box N.When the valve 0 is open, a by-pass is formed from the trunk K to thetrunk K or through the port h, box N, and the port 1', so that the airdoes not have to pass through the regulating-bellows L. This is usedordinarily in rewinding music-sheets. By thus arranging theregulating-valve at one end of the tracker-board box and thepneumatic-motor at the other end thereof, with the trunk K connectingthe two, as shown, I obtain an exceptionally compact arrangement of theparts, and the motor and regulating-bellows being above the action canbe readily reached for repairs or adjustment by simply removing the topof the case or even opening the doors G G. It also permits of arrangingin the top of the case the stored fulcrum-bar and playing-fingers.

The construction of the fulcru1n-bar and playing-fingers is illustratedin Figs. 5, 6, and 7. The bar E is preferably a wooden bar and isprovided on its outer surface with a series of vertical gains 70. Thesegains have at the desired points between them the ribs Z. Secured in thegains 7c and 011 the faces of the ribs Z are a series of fulcrum-blocksm, which are shown in Fig. 5. These blocks have at their end thebifurcated portion n, in which is journaled a playing-finger F. Theseblocks are also preferably provided with a shoulder 0, engaging on theunder side of the fulcrumbar, and they are secured to the fulcrum-bar inany suitable manner, preferably by means of screws 1, passing throughthe body of the block and into the bar. This arrangement gives me thedesired difference in the location of the fnlcrums for theplaying-fingers for the black and white keys, respectively, and is aconstruction which is not only simple and economical, but is strong anddurable, with no chance of the turning or loosening of thefulcrum-blocks after they are once sesured in position. The inner endsof the playing-fingers F are preferably bored with. alongitudinally-extending hole, and in this is inserted an elongatedcounterweight F, which always maintains the inner ends of theplaying-fingers in contact by gravity with the upper end of theactuating-bars O, which are connected to the pneumatics and operatedthereby.

I do not herein claim in such a device as I have shown the finger-leversprojecting without the case in their playing position and a commonactuating means for retracting the levers within the case nor such acombination, including the common fulcrum-bar, broadly, for suchcombination is shown, described, and claimed in my previous applicationNo. 27,488.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. In a piano-player, a vertical case,an action-case arranged in the case below the top, a tracker-board boxsecured to the top of the action near the middle, a wind-trunk extendingup from the action at one side, a horizontal wind-trunk extending acrossthe top of the action behind the tracker-board box and thepneumatic-motor on the action beside the tracker-board box, to which thehorizontal trunk connects.

2. in a piano-player, a case, an action arranged in the case below thetop, a trackerboard box secured to the top of the action at one sidenear the middle line of the case, the motor on top of the action at theend of the tracker-board box, leaving the other side of the top of theaction clear, and a movable fulcrum-bar having the playing-fingerspivoted thereon, adapted to be moved within the case above the actionbeside the trackerboard box and motor.

3. In a piano-player, a case, an action arranged in the case below thetop, the trackerboard secured to the top of the action, a windtrunkextending up at one end of the action, and a horizontal wind-trunkextending across the top thereof, a pressure-regulator on the top of theaction at one end, connected to said wind-trunk as described, and apneumatic-motor at the other end of the action, to which said trunkconnects.

i. In a piano-player, a case, an action arranged in the case below thetop, the trackerboard secured to the top of the action, a windtrunkextending up at one end of the action and a horizontal wind-inrunlcextending longi- IIO tudinally across the same, a regulating-bellowssecured to the said trunk at one end, a valve-casing secured to thebellows and connected to the trunk on both sides of theregulating-bellows connection, a valve in said casing and apneumatic-motor at the other end of the action into which saidwind-trunk connects.

5. In a piano-player, the combination of a case, an action in the case,a fulcrum-bar, the playing-fingers pivoted thereon, said bar beingsupported movably to withdraw the fingersin the case or to project themtherefrom, of two doors for closing the aperture in the case throughwhich the fingers are projected, one door extending down nearly to theupper face of the projecting portions, for the purpose described.

6. In a piano-player, a fulcrum-bar, having a series of vertical gainsin its face, and a series of interposed strips or ribs formed betweenthe gains, of fulcrum-blocks secured to said bar in the gains, otherfulcrum-blocks secured on the outer faces of said ribs and projectingbeyond the bar, and playing-fingers pivoted in such projections.

7. In a piauoplayer, a fulcrum-bar having a series of vertical gains inits outer face, and a series of interposed strips or ribs between thegains, of fulcrum-blocks 071 secured to said bar in the gains, otherfulcrum-blocks secured on the outer faces of the ribs, the bifurcatedportion at projecting below the bar and the shoulder 0 on the blocksbearing against the under face of the fulcrum-bar.

8. In apiano-player, the wind-trunk 70, the regulating-bellows on oneside thereof and the valve-case N on the other side, the wind-trunk K,the ports ct b connecting the wind-trunks with the bellows, the valve 0for the port a,

the ports h and 2' connecting the wind-trunks with the valve-case, andthe valve 0 for controlling the by-pass through the valve-case. 9. In apiano-player, a case, an action arranged in the case below the top, apivoted fulcrum-bar having the playing-fingers pivoted thereon, movableto a position within the case above the action with the playingfingersin a vertical position at the rear side of the casing, or into ahorizontal position pro jecting without the case.

10. In a piano-player, a case, an action arranged in the case below thetop, a movable fulcrum-bar having the playing-fingers pivoted thereonmovable within the case to a vertical position above the rear side ofthe action, and the tracker-board, above the action at the forward sidethereof.

11. In a mechanical playing attachment for keyboard musical instruments,the combination of a casing, a pneumatic-action therein, a series ofvertically-movable push-rods operated by said action, a series offinger-levers arranged in their playing position, in a substantiallyhorizontal plane with their key-actuating ends projecting without thecasing and their inner ends in proximity respectively to said push-rods,a fulcrum-bar to which said levers are pivoted, and rocking brackets towhich said bar is attached arranged laterally in the operating positionof parts and adapted to be swung upward to carry said levers intoasubstantially vertical plane within the casing.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature

